“The bridge between dreams and achievement is built through actions” – Norm Werner
I thought that I had an original little quote there, but I googled it and apparently many others have had the same thoughts. One that was close is
“The distance between your dreams and reality is called action.” – Unknown
The things that popped up the most in the Google response to my query were quotes about the differences between dreams and goals. I suppose that it is easy to confuse the two in random musings. I certainly understand that goals are achievable things with deadlines, while dreams are, well, just dreams.
Perhaps dreams are just a starting point, which morph into hopes and then into goals. In any event, nothing really happens until one takes actions to achieve those dreams/hopes/goals. I like the bridge analogy because it forces one to think of the 
planning and piece-by-piece work that goes into building a physical bridge. Achieving most dreams/hopes/goals is like that. One must spend some time in the planning stage ( I sometimes call it the “fixin’ to” stage) and break the actions that are needed down into smaller, achievable pieces. It is then possible to start accomplishing those little pieces and to 
celebrate little milestone on the way to the goal.
It is important not only to keep the big picture, the overall; goal, in mind; but, also, it is important to recognize and celebrate the little victories along the way – the accomplishment of those little intermediate steps in building the bridge to the dream/hope/goal. Those little pauses to celebrate allow us to refresh our enthusiasm and strength and allow us to re-evaluate the dream/hope/dream. Sometimes that re-evaluation causes us to see that we were shooting for too little and that we should be dreaming even bigger. Sometimes the cold reality of a good re-evaluation may cause us to shift our dreams and hopes towards a more achievable goal. In either case, we can then set off in pursuit of the next small victory in building that bridge.
Before you start out today, re-imagine your dreams/hopes/goals for the day and think about what small piece of the bridge to that overall destination you can build today. Then go for it. Take action! Build that bridge…
Posted by Norm Werner 
erroneous assumptions and conclusions by the intelligence community – essentially fake truths. The real truth later came out that there were no weapons of mass destruction found in Iraq. So, was that fake news? Not really. It was news fabricated out of false or bad information (fake truth) that was provided by normally reliable sources and embellished a bit by politicians eager to justify a decision that likely had already been made. The news media, always hungry for a good story, took it and ran with it.
intelligence reports and more of them are bound to come out as the truth struggles to the surface. It is not hard to imagine a bunch of Russian hackers (be they military, the intelligence community or civilians) deciding to see what they could do to influence the election or undermine our concept of democracy. It is also not hard to imagine that a contact within the political apparatus of any of the candidates would find a receptive ear to anything that might give them an advantage. After all, politics is not practiced to the highest of moral standards. However, it might prove to be as false as the weapons of mass destruction news to jump all the way to conclusions about collusion or conspiracy. Stupidity, yes. Poor judgement, most certainly. Self-serving, of course.
first two definitions before we form our beliefs about what the truth really was. The good news is that Buddha and William Shakespeare were both right and we will eventually see the truth come out. Let’s all hope that Jack Nicholson was wrong in the movie 
advice from today’s post to the 
I might add, “Before you judge…” I’ll let you fill in the words that should follow that opening phrase. There’s the old Biblical saw from Matthew 7 – “Judge not, lest ye be judged.” It is the rush to judgement that provides the foundation of prejudices and fears.
you Tweet, reconsider.” The same is true of sending emails or text messages or posting to Instagram. Everything is retained somewhere these days and lots and lots of trials and media stories revolve around the content of those electronic posts that people seem to send off without regard to their future use or misuse.
posting before opening one opens one’s mouth or before hitting the send/post button. In interpersonal settings, the advice should probably be to listen more than you talk and to carefully choose your words, if you feel the need to express an opinion or to react to something that someone else has said. I recall the quote –
any of those is better than becoming well known as a prejudiced bigot. It is better to be considered to be somewhat of an enigma than to be well known as a jerk or an idiot.
They wish things were better and blame the fact that they aren’t on things that they feel like they can’t control. Yet others who had the same starting point in life take the path of hard work and a dedication to bettering themselves and their situation. They work at a job and go to school. They work at a job and raise a family. They work. And, it works for them.
better future provides the foundation for the desire to achieve that dream. As Napoleon Hill once said –
Searching for one’s identity or getting comfortable with it, once it becomes apparent, is a rite of passage for all kids growing up. Some never seem to end that search or perhaps just carry it a bit further into adulthood. You may have met someone in their 20’s or even older who tells you that they are still trying to find themselves. At the opposite end of that spectrum are the precocious kids who have made up their minds at an early age about who and what they are and have set about to pursue their dreams and fulfill their destinies. No matter where you are on that journey of self-discovery – It’s OK to be you.
around others. Whatever the reason for their discomfort, many of these people (mostly young people) try to disguise or hide their true self by emulating others and by joining groups of other misfits into which they can blend and disappear. They may alter their appearance or dress in a specific manner to try to fit in with the group that they have chosen. Eventually most see that It’s OK to be you.
in his song, “
many people value knowing you for being who you are – for your different outlook on life and your opinions on things. Eventually, you will find that soul mate who has been looking for someone exactly like you and maybe then you will finally accept and understand that It’s OK to be you.
you start out on your day. It may help put a smile on your face and that will start the process of making the world a happier place.
sales during the year and almost always returns with things that didn’t sell then but which give the Granny’s Attic sale a unique flavor and content. There’s furniture and unique items, as well as the expected glass and china items. You’ll find things in this sale that you’d normally only see in antique stores. The sale runs Friday and Saturday fro 9 AM until 4 PM both days.
may not yet fully understand is that they are fitting in by filling the unique role that they play as the individual that they are. It can be especially hard to understand if the person is what we would call “good looking’, yet insecure about themselves. Julia Roberts, of the movie Pretty Woman, related in a magazine interview how she was an awkward and insecure person as a teen.
much too often lately. Then we see the back-stories of ostracism or bulling that led to the bad decision to strike back with violence. We hear from parents who didn’t see what was going on in their children’s lives. Sometimes we blame then for not stepping in and preventing the tragedy. In fact, it is a societal problem.
held by group members have become “litmus tests” for those seeking their political support. It is sad that our prejudices and fears have now taken on a role of political power and divisiveness.
the best you that you can be, because the world doesn’t have another you. If you don’t be you, no one else can fill that role.
raise that we work towards; but, those wild and crazy and fun dreams that we had as children. We become excessively serious and boring if we restrain our imaginations and stop dreaming.
real world and be that person who can fly again. Be there to make history or witness history being made. Be the bus driver, if only for a few moments.
formidable Sonny Liston. Nobody gave the young, brash Clay a chance against the bigger Liston, who had destroyed the former champion Floyd Patterson. When Clay made good on his boast that he would “float like a butterfly and sting like a bee” and knocked out Liston, he proclaimed to the world, in the post-fight interview with Howard Cosell that he was ”the greatest of all time”.
So, if you are looking for amusement, go see the latest super heroes movie or dress up and go to a convention and enjoy yourself; but, if you are looking for the only true super hero of all time to save you, look to Jesus. With Him on your side; there are no foes that can defeat you, not even death. Now that’s a super hero worth following.
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